The present disclosure relates to a wireless LAN system using TV white space, and more particularly, to a device and method for identifying channel information in a wireless network.
A television broadcast service is currently shifting from analog to digital broadcasting, since the digital broadcasting can provide high quality images and interactive services and enable more efficient use of spectrums.
The shifting to digital broadcasting allows a part of a very high frequency (VHF, 54 MHz to 88 MHz) band and ultra high frequency (UHF, 174 MHz to 698 MHz) band, allocated for typical analog broadcasting, to be used by anybody. One of examples of such an available frequency band is TV white space (hereinafter, referred to as ‘TVWS’).
That is, the TVWS means a VHF or UHF frequency band which is allocated for TV broadcasting but is not used by a broadcast provider. Thus, the TVWS is an unlicensed frequency band which can be used by anybody when radio regulations of the government are satisfied. When a licensed device is not used in the unlicensed frequency band, an unlicensed device may use the frequency band. Here, the licensed device means a user permitted to use the TVWS, and may be called a primary user (or TV signal) or incumbent user.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States allowed a VHF frequency band and UHF frequency band used for a DTV to be used by anybody satisfying the regulations provided by the FCC.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the FCC is preparing a regulation for allowing unlicensed devices to use TV channels other than channel 37 (reserved for radio astronomy) when signals such as TV signals and wireless microphone signals of licensed devices do not exist in the TV channels. By applying such a regulation of the FCC with modifications, other countries are preparing policies and regulations with respect to the TVWS.
Further, various wireless communication systems for using the TVWS is being developed. For example, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 working group is developing a wireless local area network (WLAN) system using the TVWS with the 802.11af standard.